Nightmares in the rain
by NewEnglandLycan
Summary: Just a quick one shot at the moment set a couple weeks after the events of the first game. Jill and Chris are both suffering from nightmares revolving around everything and everyone they've lost. Jill ends up visiting Chris for the night. A/N Though I'm a big fan of the Valenfield stores this one focuses on friendship and helping one another through.


_**"Self destruct sequence had been activated. All personnel must evacuate immediately. Releasing all doors and locks…"**_

 _ **The cold automated voice repeated itself over and over again, the woman's voice taunting them. Boots echoed off metal grating as Jill and Chris ran up the stairs hoping their escape route was unlocked as well.**_

 _ **"It's like I trapped in that Alien movie. Ya know, the one with Sigorney Weaver? Fucking computer reminding her she's about to blow up," Chris chuckled.**_

 _ **"Shit time for humor Redfield," Jill laughed.**_

 _ **At the top of the next stairwell the pair rounded the corner and stopped. Ahead, four zombies slowly advanced toward them. Raising their Berettas' they both took aim.**_

 _ **"I got left," Chris called out.**_

 _ **"Right!"**_

 _ **Multiple rounds exploded flesh, all four targets crumpling against the catwalk. The dead had barely fallen before they were moving again.**_

 _ **"Where are we going Jill?"**_

 _ **"We need to take a ladder up from the room ahead. There's a set of heavy ass doors up there that were sealed shut but, hopefully the self destruct released them. It's labeled as some kind of helipad, Berry's guarding the door. Hopefully it's big enough for Brad to land the huey!"**_

 _ **"Here's hoping," Chris replied as they burst through the door and, one at a time began flying up the ladder.**_

 _ **Barry paced back and forth as he waited for his friends, Rebecca watching him in silence. Guilt kicked him in the balls not for the first time since he and Jill had separated while she went to rescue Chris. He didn't know how he'd ever make it up to them, especially Jill. He'd left her to fend off god knows what in those mines and wouldn't have blamed her if she hadn't given him his gun back to fight that female creature. If the tyrant hadn't killed that son of a bitch Wesker, he felt as though he'd have taken out their captain himself.**_

 _ **"Berry! Good to see you old man," Chris called, pulling him from his dark thoughts.**_

 _ **"Good to see you too Chris," Barry smiled slightly.**_

 _ **Self destruct sequence has been activated. All personnel must evacuate immediately. Releasing all doors and locks.**_

 _ **"Time to go boys," Jill yelled, Rebecca already on her heels.**_

 _ **All four ran as fast as their legs could take them down the corridor. Rounding the last corner, Jill could feel a sense of hope consuming her at the sight of an elevator up ahead marked "helipad". They were home free. She just hoped they'd be able to signal Brad in time.**_

 _ **A series of shrieks made her blood run cold, hope dying as quickly as it had come. Panic consumed her as she quickly stabbed at the elevator button.**_

 _ **"Son of a bitch! We're so close," Barry yelled, sprinting back the way they'd come, Python at the ready. Jill started to follow when Chris stopped her.**_

 _ **"Ladies first Jill. I'll cover Barry, you go to the roof and signal Brad.**_

 _ **"Chris!"**_

 _ **"Come on Jill, can't you let me have my moments too?"**_

 _ **"Alright Chris. We'll go signal Brad but, if your ass isn't up there pronto, I'm coming back."**_

 _ **"Fair enough," he smiled before following Barry down the corridor.**_

 _ **It seemed like an eternity as the elevator rose slowly to the roof. Jill felt like she was about to jump out of her skin. That cold voice had begun counting down from three minutes.**_

" _ **Are the guys gonna be ok," Rebecca asked softly.**_

" _ **If anyone can handle themselves in this situation it's them," Jill replied with a soft smile. "They'll be ok Becca."**_

 _ **At around two fifty, a ding finally announced her arrival at the room, doors sliding open.**_

 _ **"Alpha! Bravo! This is your last chance! Fuel is bingo! If anyone's alive give me a signal!"**_

 _ **Having given up on the radio by now, Jill looked around for anything she could use. Sprinting across the helipad, she busted open a crate snatching a flare from inside.**_

 _ **"Please see this Brad, you chicken heart SOB," she thought firing it off.**_

 _ **Slamming the base of the flare hard against the ground, Jill and Rebecca shielded their eyes as they watched the flare climb high above before fizzing out. Two minutes and fifty seconds left. Both women turned as a ding announced the elevators arrival once more. Doors sliding open, Barry and Chris emerged, latter clutching his left shoulder.**_

 _ **"Chris, are you ok," Jill asked, worry etched on her face.**_

 _ **"Yeah I'm ok. One of those bastards came through a vent, hit me in the shoulder with the grate."**_

 _ **The pair glanced over and saw that Barry had Rebecca locked in a bear hug, the girl trembling slightly. Chris felt a moment of sadness for the girl. Though she had handled herself well, no one should ever go through such hell on any mission let alone their first.**_

 _ **"We're gonna be ok kid," Barry said as the sound of an approaching chopper grew louder, Brad coming into view.**_

 _ **"Never been so happy to see ol Chicken heart," Chris chuckled.**_

 _ **Before anyone could respond however, the concrete around them exploded, chunks flying in all directions. The group had barely collected themselves when a looming figure leapt from the hole, landing in a crouch several feet away. Tyrant it would appear wasn't going down as easily as they'd hoped.**_

 _ **With almost inhuman speed the abomination charged toward their center, causing them to scatter in all directions. Barry felt the air escape in a rush as he landed hard on his chest. Fighting the disorientation, he quickly got to his feet and turned, the thunder of his Colt Python echoing through the enclosed yard. What the fuck, he thought to himself as one round after the other struck the monstrosity to no effect. Nothing should have been able to absorb multiple .357 magnum rounds and keep walking. Flipping out the cylinder he began to reload.**_

 _ **To Barry's left Chris dropped to a knee and began pelting Tyrant with 9mm rounds. He knew that's rounds wouldn't do much more than shit but, their comrade was helpless at the moment. Round after round seemed to be nothing more than mosquito bites. Chris watched in Horror as Tyrant connected with a giant back hand that sent Barry flying through the air.**_

 _ **Rebecca holstered her Beretta and rand to Barry's side. He'd landed in a heap ten feet from where he'd been only a moment earlier, alive but unconscious. The Tyrant stopped and watched her for a moment before it began lumbering in their direction. Pulling her sidearm once again she began unloading on umbrella's monstrosity. Jill suddenly appeared at her side.**_

 _ **"Becca! Aim for the heart! It might be our only chance!"**_

 _ **Both women fired in unison, Tyrant stumbling slightly. With a roar of pure hate it charged them, swinging it's massive claw. Jill closed her eyes and waited for the fatal strike.**_

Jill bolted upright, snatching her Beretta from atop the nightstand. Rain pelted against her bedroom window, a low rumble of thunder rattling the pane. Sweat beaded on her chest, little blue tank top sticking to her wet skin. Nothing moved in the darkness. After several moments she lay the gun back in its place and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Resting her head in her hands Jill tried to steady her breathing. It was a nightmare that had plagued her the last couple weeks. In her dream she'd been cut in two. Brad never came to pick them up, he hadn't some how managed to drop the rocket launcher that Chris had used to blow the Tyrant to hell. In the nightmares Jill simply ceased to exist.

Shaking off the thoughts, Jill climbed out of bed a cool air assaulting her exposed legs, hardwood floor cold against her bare feet. _Another sleepless night_ she thought to herself as she made her way down the hallway toward her tiny kitchen, coffee pot in sight.

 _I definitely need to clean_ taking in her living room along the way. Magazines were scattered atop the oak coffee table, several coffee cups sat empty next to them. Cloths were scattered across her couch and recliner. Her kitchen hadn't fared much better, plates and bowls scattered in and around the sink. Certainly not how she usually kept her apartment but, with everything that had been going on lately she hadn't found the motivation to do much.

After brewing a pot, Jill retreated to her living room. Pushing aside enough of the cloths to sit on her couch, she flopped down, coffee in one hand and a slice of cold pizza in the other. Red numbers illuminated on the desk clock next to her, 03:00.

Clicking on the DVD player, Jill pushed play. The screen lit up with images of people talking, laughing and having fun. Barry was showing off his grilling skills as he talked with Enrico. Across the back yard Chris and Forest were drinking beers and throwing horse shoes. Rebecca was chatting with Barry's wife, the rookie already starting to fit in with the group despite her shyness.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she watched. Seeing the happy times was a reminder and a punch the gut over everything that had happened and all they'd lost. Umbrella needed to pay for what they'd done, just as the captain had.

"Fuck you Wesker," she whispered into the dark.

Across town in the darkness, Chris sat of his floor, a barely smoked cigarette burning between his fingers. Next to him in shattered frame, was a picture of his badge pinning ceremony the day he'd been accepted into STARS. Wesker had been the one to perform the ceremony. Their former captain now stood before Chris with the younger mans boot knife shoved through his head, obliterating his face from the photo.

Gilt for not being able to save more of his comrades as well as a burning anger fought for control. So far the anger was winning. Anger at Umbrella for what they'd done, anger and guilt for not being able to save Richard from the giant snake that had taken him out. Not not taken him out Chris thought, eaten him whole. Turned his friend into a fucking midnight snack. And at the end of all these thoughts was the anger at their former captain.

Wesker had always been a cold and creepy kinda dude but, no one could have expected what he'd done. To try and sacrifice his entire team just for some fucking combat data. If the devil were real, Albert Wesker had truly been him. The look of pure evil on his face as he'd explained his plans for the Tyrant and the eradication of STARS still sent a chill down Chris's spine.

At least Chris had managed to protect Rebecca. The young medic had blamed herself for not being able to protect Richard when he'd first been attacked by the giant snake. Her confidence in her abilities had been shot. It wasn't until she'd put her skills to the test in creating that plant killing chemical that Chris had seen her more confident side begin to emerge. The way she'd put herself in danger protecting Barry had filled him with a sense of pride. Rebecca was going to be alright given time. It was more than he could say for himself.

A soft knocking, almost inaudible pulled him from his thoughts. Reaching to his hip and resting his hand on the Baretta, something that had become reflex, he walked to the door. Opening it slightly, he was met by Jill. She was soaking wet, her jeans and denim jacket dripping, hair plastered to her face.

"Jill. What's wrong?"

"Couldn't sleep. I'm sorry Chris I just didn't want to be alone tonight," she muttered.

"It's ok Jill, come in," he replied stepping aside.

Jill made her way into Chris's apartment, rubbing her arms to combat the cold from her wet cloths. Chris excused himself and a few moments later returned with a pair of towels and some cloths.

"Figured you'd like to dry off," he smiled. "My little sister Clair likes to leave a few cloths here in case she drops by and wants to spend the night. I think you're probably about the same size sweats and t-shirt. Sorry I didn't grab any underwear that's just…one of the drawers I didn't wanna open," he added with a laugh.

"Thank you Chris," she laughed smiling. "And I don't blame you for not wanting to see your sister's panties." She winked.

"You had to say the word didn't you."

"Yup," she laughed again before disappearing into his bathroom.

Chris cleared a place on his couch for her to set and then made his way to the kitchen. The smell of fresh coffee filled Jill's nose as she made her way out of the bathroom, went cloths in her arms.

"Let me get those Jill," Chris said taking them before she could stop him.

"It's ok Chris you don't have to trouble yourself."

"No trouble," he said disappearing to throw the articles in his dryer.

Jill sat at the kitchen table sipping the cup of coffee Chris had given her. Looking around it appeared as though he'd similarly given up on the trivial things like putting away dirty dishes. Though not as much of a clean freak as she was, Jill had to admit she'd never seen his place so disorganized.

"Sorry it's such a mess," Chris said as he returned, probably guessing what she'd been thinking.

"Trust me Chris, my place isn't much better these days," she replied waving off his apology.

"Guess we've both had other things on our minds."

"Yeah…" she agreed before trailing off.

"Nightmares again," he asked gently.

"Yeah. Not just that though. I couldn't sleep so I had the great idea of watching the DVD from the fourth of July BBQ at Barry's place," she replied. "I guess seeing all of our friends alive and happy got to me." A tear rolling down her cheek.

Scooting his chair a little closer, Chris rested a hand gently on her shoulder. He knew were she was coming from. Only a couple hours earlier he'd been looking through old photos of his air force days and one thing had led to another before he found himself looking at photos of the STARS.

"It's gonna be ok Jill. We'll get through this," he began.

"No it's not ok Chris! Nothing about any of this is ok! Wesker betrayed us and led us into that hell! That sick fuck helped umbrella kill our friends! This will never be ok," Jill sobbed finally breaking down completely.

Chris didn't know how long he held Jill, her body wracking with each sob but, he didn't let her go until she became still. Exhaustion finally took her and Chris carried her sleeping form to Clair's room. His sister's bed seemed more appropriate than his own.

Pulling the flowery comforter over Jill, he kissed his friend on the temple before stepping back to look at her sleeping form. Somewhere along the way, before the hell that had been the mansion, she'd become his best friend. Countless training sessions and a few real world missions had created a bond between them. It broke his heart in that moment that he couldn't make the entire world make sense for her once again. He didn't think that anything would make sense for either of them again for a long time.

Outside the rain had picked up again, drops pelting like stones against the glass. Thunder rumbled as another bolt of lightning streaked the sky. Switching off the light, Chris gently closed the door before sitting with his back against it. As he sat in the darkness, Chris swore that if it was the last thing he ever did, umbrella would pay for all they'd done. If making those bastards pay and sending them to hell helped Jill to find closure then he was dammed sure going to see it through.

Chris began to doze off once again thinking of the friends they'd lost. Forest, Kenneth, Richard, Enrico, Joseph…all their faces flashed through his mind. His last thought before sleep consumed him was that maybe, just maybe, being with Jill would chase the nightmares away.


End file.
